Volume 1, Issue No. 52
OPINION/COMMENTARY
/ News That Fears None, Views That Favor Nobody /
. . . . . A community service of The Filipino Web Channel (TheFilipinoWebChannel@gmail. com) and the Philippine Village Voice (PhilVoiceNews@gmail.com) for the information and understanding of Filipinos and the diverse communities in North America . . .
Our latest as of Wednesday, July 8, 2020
~ From the tone of some of the 304-member House of Representatives, the broadcast giant ABS-CBN did not deserve a new lease on life for all its sins of omission and commission through the years it had been operating as the "Philippines' largest network". The day of reckoning has apparently come. According to The Manila Times, the network "faces an uphill battle to secure a new franchise". It also said that an initial tally indicated that 57 were likely to deny the franchise, 25 likely to vote for it, and 10 were unsure.
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END OF "IN THE SERVICE OF THE FILIPINO"
Doomsday for ABS-CBN?
By ROMEO P. MARQUEZ
Editor, The Filipino Web Channel
"One lie will not cure another". - Congressman Jesus "Boying" Remulla
As of May 5, 2020, the broadcast giant is legally dead, both its proud and inglorious past a mere flicker in our collective memory. But the owners and managers wouldn't let us bury the many wrongs and transgressions concealed in its slogan "in the service of the Filipino" while it had reigned supreme in the airwaves.
Some remorse, both honest and feigned, suddenly came up in the last lap of a marathon hearing in congressional committees to convince lawmakers that the Lopez family-owned radio-television outfit deserves a second chance.
That's after individuals now elected to the House of Representatives found that when all is said and done, ABS-CBN could be contrite even for a moment, and reluctantly admit to mistakes it had done on the same individuals occupying positions of power to legislate the network in or out of existence.
"Bago nagsalakot, basa na ang tuktok," said Congressman Rodante Marcoleta, one of the outstanding interpellators in the House who has managed to draw out admissions of wrongdoing, favoritism, and bias from network officials led by Martin Lopez, Carlo Katigbak, and Ging Reyes, among others.
"Salakot" is a wide-brimmed headgear of palm leaves; "basa" is wet; and "tuktok" is peak of the head. Taken together, it means the head is already wet (from rain) even before the person wears the hat. Or, it's useless to cover one's head when it's already immersed in rainwater.
The closest English translation that misses the nuance is missing an opportunity to address the wrongs and begs for another chance to make up and compensate for the loss.
That's exactly what Mr. Marcoleta told Ms. Reyes, a news executive of the network: "Bago nagsalakot, basa na ang tuktok," He was rejecting her promise to atone for the sins of omission and commission ABS-CBN had perpetrated against people in and out of government.
For example, Rodrigo Duterte and his running mate Allan Peter Cayetano repeatedly complained against the network's practice of favoring individuals friendly to them during the runup to the 2016 elections, which Duterte won by a landslide.
But on February 24, 2020, at a Senate hearing, Mr. Katigbak publicly apologized to President Duterte for not airing his ad which he had paid for six million pesos. Prior to the apology, Mr. Duterte had consistently grumbled against ABS-CBN.
In his interpellation, Congressman Elpidio Barzaga Jr. asked Mr. Katigbak why it took the network four years (from 2016 to 2020) to finally ask an apology. To which Mr. Katigbak replied: "Inamin po namin na-delayed yung pag-issue ng cheque para sa refund po".
"What we're discussing is the public apology, not the issuance of the refund cheque," the lawmaker clarified. Again, he asked why was such a long time took place before it issued its regrets.
Mr. Katigbak answered: "You're correct, Mr. Chair. We should have endeavoured to ask for an apology much earlier". After another question, Mr. Katigbak explained that the expression of apology was not for the non-airing of President Duterte's ad but for the delay in issuing a refund.
Mr. Katigbak further explained that ABS-CBN already admitted its mistake upon issuance of the cheque refund. "The non-airing of ad was the result of our policy of first come, first served," he said. (Video at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mlmKXEHx2UA)
There are others, namely, Congressmen Jesus "Boying" Remulla, Abraham Tolentino, Mike Defensor, Janette Garin, Elpidio Barzaga Jr. Upon questioning, Mr. Katigbak admitted that three incumbent senators whose political advertisements were not aired in 2016 for some reasons were Miguel Zubiri, Sherwin Gatchalian, and Francis Tolentino.
Rep. Janette Garin complained about a supposed interview with her by ABS-CBN. "The interview was spliced," she said, and asked ABS-CBN to stop broadcasting news about her because it's not true.
"But if ABS-CBN can prove the interview took place and is true, I will immediately resign from Congress," she challenged network officials. "With ABS-CBN, our voices fell on deaf ears. . . . even at this time with health issues, you (ABS-CBN), keep on interviewing non-experts".
Ms. Reyes responded: "They (meaning ABS-CBN) do understand and acknowledge your concern about the use of non-experts". (Video at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zII-a0bpyGE (at 1:40 mark).
Congressman Tolentino also voiced out his beef. He said as early as 2013 and thereafter, he and his brother, Senator Francis Tolentino, were bashed every day for weeks on end. The episode had been replayed many times in its foreign outlets. "We can't do anything; It's difficult to fight a big media entity," he said. (Video at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Y21bOJ36X0).
The complaints triggered this response. "I assure you that we will act on these complaints even if they were, or they happened some years ago," Ms. Reyes vowed, trying to look docile. (Video at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=34VgVTzfxPA).
Carlo Katigbak, president and CEO of ABS-CBN, made a similar pledge: "As of now (that's July 6, 2020), I would like to make a public commitment that any public official will be given air time on ABS-CBN to express their side on any issue that is being raised against them". (Video at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ZbdunLl4KM).
With a gentle voice in mixed English and Tagalog, he managed to look repentant: "That is the commitment po by the owners, by the management. And we are instructing our organization to take note of this instruction. Uulitin ko lang po - it's a public commitment that any public official will be given a chance to air their side. (Video at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Y21bOJ36X0).
A popular Manila newspaper, The Tribune, writes in an editorial: "The final nail shall definitely be its alleged political biases since the main offended party is the President himself. As we have written before in this paper, ABS-CBN’s past has definitely caught up with it". (More info: https://tribune.net.ph/index.php/2020/07/06/final-nail-on-abs-cbn/).
Would ABS-CBN make it to another 25 years? An exclusive story by The Manila Times claimed ABS-CBN faces an uphill battle to get a franchise. (Full story at: http://digitaledition.manilatimes.net/manila-times). (Copyright 2020. All Rights Reserved).
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